Trinity
by MattSaotome
Summary: Continuation of the 'Fragile' storyline. Ranma is forced to confront his two other sides; the Neko and his cursed form; lost between themselves even as they remain in stark contrast of each other. Can Akane help him become complete? Ranma x Akane
1. Prologue

A/N: This is a continuation of the 'Fragile' storyline. If you have not read that one first, STOP HERE! you will be VERY confused. Go back and read 'Fragile' if you haven't, and this'll make a whole lot more sense!!

Now, on with it!

MattSaotome

* * *

Prologue

'_What if I say you're not like the others?_

_What if I say your not just another one?_

_In your place, You're the pretender,_

_What if I say that I'll_

_Never Surrender?'_

Sleep: Torture in fast motion with the occasional forgiving side effect of forgetfulness upon waking. It was the latter that Ranma was silently, if not consciously, hoping for as he tossed and turned restlessly in deep slumber.

The events of the past week had been erratic at best, even if they had ended with him feeling all warm and pleasant. Perhaps the reality of the matter was that he could no longer escape the power that was surging deep inside himself. He'd thought that after what had happened between him and Akane he could finally find some inner peace, but that was rapidly being denied him.

He ran through a corridor in his mind; a long, dark tunnel, with only the sight of the exit at the far end driving his feet beneath him. The pace he ran at could easily match that of a cougar, and yet the light came no closer to him. In the darkness behind, he could hear them; thousands of little voices driving his greatest fear before him. They sounded so small and helpless, but Ranma knew better. He felt the familiar panic beginning to take hold. Yes, he was all too familiar with what now lurked in the unseen shadows around him.

"Get away from me!" He hollered over his shoulder as he ran, hoping that, even if it hadn't worked the first few hundred times, somehow this time would be different. Instead, a set of claws swept out at his ankle, leaving behind three long, ugly gashes.

Ranma cried out as he felt the deep fear within him surged out of control. His cry became feral almost instantly, his eyes quickly changing, becoming distinctly cat-like. The speed at which he fell into the Neko-ken made Ranma's head spin as the last traces of human thought were ripped from his grasp, and he lost all control. The sounds of pursuit inexplicably vanished, leaving only the dark echoes of the blackness that surrounded him as Ranma crouched down and began to sniff the air.

"Mrrowr?" The alpha male was confused by his surroundings, looking left and right quickly as he tried to make some sense of the void surrounding him.

_Strange_ the lithe feline thought. _No humans… no threats… only light._

Ranma cocked his head to the side as he regarded the glow before him. With a mind now full of endless curiosity, he finally rose to his haunches and began to walk forward, staying on all fours the entire time.

The distance between himself and the light closed easily, seeming to react positively to him now that he was Neko. He noticed something solid beginning to form and take shape around the glowing white light. It took only seconds for him to see that it was a door, the hard white light nearly bursting through each and every crack. His curiosity gave way to caution temporarily, and he set to smelling the door, searching for some kind of scent that he could identify.

Unfortunately the results of his efforts only succeeded in confusing him even more. There was no scent that he could recognize coming from the door. In fact, the door itself was not something he could even identify. The unexplainable phenomena left Ranma baffled, quickly setting off some kind of an internal warning. He scowled deep, bearing his fangs at the door with a hiss.

"Go away!!" a voice from behind the door cried out, quickly followed by a sob. Ranma's expression shifted from defensive to curious once more.

"Nyaow?" he asked the door, wanting it to reveal its secrets hidden within.

_It's a door, stupid. Ya slide it open._

Ranma spun around with a jump, looking to identify the voice that had suddenly pierced the darkness. Instead, his head began to throb as images suddenly flooded through his brain; images that showed him how to work the knob, allowing him to open the door.

Ranma couldn't understand the words the voice had echoed out around him, acknowledging only that it bore a striking resemblance to his human side. The Neko seemed to derive some sort of comfort in at least being able to understand the slumber state his body was actually in. Still, the world created by his body's mind deserved attention, and an explorer's fancy should never be denied.

Using the images he'd been shown, he turned back to the door once more, lifting a paw up to the canvas and slowly sliding it open. The light inside barreled out at him, and his keen eyes were hindered temporarily. Raising the same paw up in front of his face, Ranma hissed again, until the hot-white glow began to gradually subside in its intensity. Slowly, he lowered his limb once more, and saw that though the light had faded, it still consumed the entire space on the other side.

Reluctantly, he began to understand that the only way to find his way out was to proceed. Puffing up his chest so as to properly intimidate any threat that could possibly be present inside, Ranma donned a look of dominance and slowly crept into the abyss…

* * *

"I'm not sure how much longer I can hold onto him!!" Ryouga's voice was frantic as he hollered out to anyone who was listening. Around him, the guest room was all but destroyed, the sunlight beating in mercilessly through the now shattered windows. The dresser was tipped over and now lay face down on the floor, its contents littered across the room. The closet doors were hanging off their hinges, and now sported several long gashes running down their once beautifully decorated wooden surface. It was only mid afternoon, but if you asked anyone present, they would have said that it felt as if they had been there for days already. Around Ryouga were Genma, Soun and Kasumi, each of them desperately trying to hold onto a limb and keep their frantic target hostage. 

"Dammit, doesn't this Neko-Ken thing come with a fuckin off switch?!?" Ryouga was sitting on the floor, his arms curled behind Ranma's head in a classic headlock. The feline boy's flailing was rocking him hard from side to side, often accompanied by heavy jerks as every so often Ranma would try twisting in some new direction that shouldn't have been physically possible.

"Yes, but she's not back from school yet," Kasumi replied, worry etched over her beautiful face as she upended yet another glass of cold water over Ranma's head. The change was, as always, instantaneous. Ranma's form quickly became smaller, his jet black hair seeming to melt into stark red as his cursed form overtook him. Yet, as had been the situation the last three times Kasumi had tried this, Ranma continued to buck and heave in any direction she thought would allow her to escape their clutches.

Kasumi was not to be deterred, giving a huff of determination; she lifted the kettle and once again poured it over Ranma's drenched form. The hot liquid inside quickly transformed Ranma back to his male form, yet the young martial artist's mental state remained unchanged.

Ranma turned to look in Kasumi's direction. His eyes met the oldest Tendo sister's for a brief moment, before settling on the kettle she still held in her hands. Ranma narrowed his eyes upon it, recognizing that it held what his kind dreaded most. He immediately shot a look in Kasumi's direction that promised severe pain and suffering if she tried to inflict such torture upon him again.

Ranma felt a sudden tug at his leg that held much more force than it had before. It quickly grabbed his attention, and with a feral cry of pain, he shot a glare down his body at the man responsible for the added force. Genma (the unfortunate recipient of this obvious hostility) gulped hard as Ranma opened his mouth wide in a feral snarl, bearing his now inch-long fangs at the old man with a spitting growl.

Recognition sparked in Ranma's eyes, as the feline persona took in Genma's identity; something that it had been unable to do up until now. His growl began to grow higher in pitch, the yowl becoming longer, more drawn out as his rage, born out of disdain, steadily increased. In the chaos of his feline mind, Ranma's own persona swam a little closer to the surface, managing to add some of the feelings he had towards his father to the cat's conscious thought.

_Bald human is enemy,_ Neko Ranma thought. _Fat worthless idiot is cause of__ most of __our problems!_

Choosing to ignore the earlier warning glare she'd received, Kasumi upended another glass, this time full of cold water, over Ranma's already irritable form, her logic seeming to lean more towards the 'If I do this enough times, it's bound to work' approach. The instant the cold water made contact with Ranma, she let out a screech of rage, bucking and kicking even harder than she had before. For a moment, Ryouga was almost dragged to his feet by the now female Ranma's sudden burst of strength, as she increased her struggle tenfold.

With lightning speed, Ranma's arm lashed out in Kasumi's direction, effectively shredding the kettle full of water the eldest Tendo was about to pour over her head.

"Oh My!" Kasumi quickly backed up two steps as Ryouga doubled his efforts to hold Ranma down. Increasing his pull and practically hanging all his weight off of her collar bone, Ryouga worked diligently at getting Ranma back under control.

"Dammit all, Kasumi!" He roared. "Enough with the fucking WATER! Can't you see it's not working! It's only making him MADDER!!"

_And__ the__ more upset he gets,__ the__ stronger and faster he gets!_ Ryouga thought to himself silently.

"Now Ryouga," Kasumi quickly scolded, shooting her darkest scowl in the lost boy's direction. "It's not polite to use that kind of language in front of a lady!" This however went completely unnoticed by Ryouga, who merely continued in his struggle with Ranma instead.

The increased pressure and additional effort quickly had Ranma swinging her arms in a backwards motion, frantically trying to get at whatever was holding her with an inordinate amount of hissing and yowling.

Again the voice of Ranma's persona made contact, obviously eager to get her hatred for Ryouga across to her feline counterpart. _The lost boy causes our pain! We must stop him! _Neko-Ranma saw these thoughts streak by her and grinned inwardly. There was only one way to interpret that… _He MUST let us go!_

"Aaugh!!" Ryouga screamed out with pain as Ranma's ki 'claws' sliced through his tender flesh. Three long gashes now ran down Ryouga's left cheek, which quickly spread open and began to bleed fast.

"Brilliant!" Ryouga snarled. "He's got his claws out, people!!"

"Why isn't the change working?!" Genma hollered in frustration. He was using almost all of his weight, and could just barely hang onto Ranma's left leg.

"I don't know, Saotome!" Soun replied, doing his best to keep hold of Ranma's other leg. "Perhaps that solution was only temporary to begin with. WAAUUGGHHH!!!!!!!!"

With a tremendous kick, Soun was thrown back against the wall sharply; the impact instantly rendering him unconscious. He slumped down the wall like a rag doll, falling into a heap on the floor.

"FATHER!" Kasumi cried out, running to his aid in a panic.

_We must find our mate! _Neko-Ranma's thoughts were beginning to rush out frantically now. _Why are they keeping us from her? __She may be in danger! We MUST get FREE!_

"I'M LOSING HIM!!!" Ryouga's cry was a desperate plea for help, as each person in the room knew full well what Ranma was capable of doing to him or her while in the Neko-ken. Sure enough, Ryouga's hold was faltering and, in the lithe form of his cursed state, Ranma was gradually slipping free.

Suddenly, Ranma's intent changed from pulling _free_ of Ryouga to simply _pulling_Ryouga. With a sudden burst of frantic strength, the feline lunged forward, hauling a stunned Ryouga onto her back.

"WHAT THE F-WWWOOOOAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ryouga cried out, his chest slamming against Ranma and momentarily knocking the wind out of him.

_We can DRAG the lost pig if it becomes necessary, but the fat idiot MUST let us go!!_

It was immediately obvious who the cat was leaping for, and Ryouga prayed silently that, despite his feelings for the fat bastard, Genma would have the common sense to let go of Ranma's leg and -

"RUN!!!!!!" He hollered out an instant too late. Genma's cry of unadulterated agony was loud enough to have made any actresses on the movie 'Scream' proud as he let out a gut wrenching shriek at the top of his lungs.

With hatred blazing the hottest fire in her eyes, Ranma gradually pulled her jaw away from Genma's now badly bleeding and already swelling arm. A slow evil smile began quirking up the corners of her lips, tainted now with the fresh mark of her quarry. Her eyes still locked with his, she hesitated only seconds before making a final lunge forward, this time to snap viciously at his neck.

_Stupid old man_, Neko-Ranma's thoughts hollered in frustration. _Release us NOW!!_

"GENMA!!" Ryouga hollered. "Don't try to fight him, you idiot! Just RUN ALREADY!!!"

With a burst of adrenaline and a determination all his own, Ryouga summoned every ounce of strength he had and, with a long cry of exertion, pulled and dragged as hard as he could. Eventually his efforts slowly began to pay off, as Ranma was once again dragged to the floor.

Sweat fell from his brow like a river now, and he bitterly noted that, other than a slight dampening of her bangs, Ranma showed no sign that she'd been overly exerting herself. Pushing the resentment aside for the moment he turned his attention toward Genma, who was carefully cradling his arm.

"Are you OK?" he asked quickly. Genma nodded.

"Yes, I think so."

"Good, cause I'm gonna kick the CRAP outta you for being that STUPID the INSTANT we're done here!!"

Deep in the back recesses of her mind, Ranma was whooping for joy and rooting Ryouga on, effectively causing her feline side a small amount of confusion which was just as quickly disregarded for the more urgent matter at hand: Freedom!

For the second time that day, Genma gulped hard as he resumed his position at Ranma's feet.

"I'm home." An all too familiar voice sounded from downstairs. The three remaining conscious people in the room all flashed each other looks of sheer relief as they realized who was now downstairs.

"AKANE!!!!" They all called out together.

"GET UP HERE, FAST!!" Ryouga bellowed. "RANMA'S GONE NEKO!"

There was a loud thump from downstairs that could only be Akane's book bag hitting the floor, followed by her rapid footfalls up the stairs. Not two seconds later, she whipped around the entrance to the guest room, urgent worry painted over her soft face. She took only a second to survey the scene around her, turning first to Kasumi, who was still tending to their father and trying her best to wake him up.

"Is he OK?" Akane asked, quickly ducking down beside her sister for a second.

"I think so," Kasumi answered softly.

"What happened?!" Akane whirled on Genma now, giving him a look that said she suspected this was somehow all his fault.

Genma grimaced, silently resenting the implication. "The boy spent almost all day asleep," he grunted out, still fighting hard to hold onto Ranma's left leg while attempting to get the right one under control. "He woke up when Ryouga got here, but to our surprise he was already in the Neko-ken! OOF!! A LITTLE HELP WOULD BE NICE!"

Akane stepped over to them and knelt beside Ranma. Taking hold of one of the girls arms, she gave it a firm but gentle tug.

"Ranma!" She spoke calmly, resolutely, instantly bringing the young martial artists attention to her. "Ranma, look at me. It's Akane."

There was dead silence throughout the room as Ranma stopped moving, locking her limbs where they were in case she needed to resume her struggle. Akane saw the change in her behavior instantly and gently slid her grip down Ranma's arm until she and the panicked girl had locked hands.

_M… Mate?_ Neko-Ranma was uncertain exactly when Akane had arrived, and was obviously a little confused by her sudden presence in the room. _She is here… She is safe?_

"It's OK, Ranma. I'm here now. See?" She smiled warmly, bringing the hand that she was holding up to her chest and pressing it firmly against the place where her strong heartbeat could be felt. Ranma stared at her hand for a moment, just letting Akane's steady heartbeat drum softly back up her own arm, bringing with it a steadfast reassurance. Gradually she let the girl's sweet scent fill her nostrils, her gaze slowly moving up to Akane's face. The panic began to instantly dissipate, and she gradually began to relax her muscles.

"It's working…" Ryouga whispered. "He's relaxing."

Akane's smile grew a little. Holding the young girl's hand now, she reflected on the beast she had just tamed, and how easily Ranma seemed to trust her. Even in her current form, Ranma's appearance lost none of its menacing qualities. Her inch-long fangs that Akane could only assume were formed somehow by the energy in the lithe red-head's body were matched by the occasional flash of light just past Ranma's fingertips; a sure indication that her ki 'claws' were present. Everything about Ranma's appearance bore striking resemblance to a panther that had been captured in the wild; fighting for its right to remain where it wanted to be. Her expression softened at these thoughts as she realized that, in her own way, Ranma could say so much to her while in the Neko-ken without needing to speak at all.

"That's good, Ranma." She looked over at Ryouga who was still holding lightly onto Ranma, anticipation of another struggle keeping him firmly in place. Akane gave him a single nod, indicating that Ryouga should let Ranma go. The lost boy eyed Akane warily for a second before closing his eyes in acknowledgement and releasing his hold. Genma instantly followed suit at Ranma's feet without hesitation.

As she felt herself being released from her captors, Ranma turned to face Akane, a warm expression slowly gracing her face.

_She is safe. We can rest now._

She drew her gaze upward, her eyes locking with Akane's as she slowly removed her hand from the other girl's chest and moved in closer. A light purring sound began to erupt from her throat, and she gave a gentle rub of her head against Akane's cheek before silently curling into a ball on the floor just in front of her. Finally, she rested her head in Akane's lap, making absolutely sure she wouldn't suddenly disappear again, and there she slept.

Ryouga let out a deep huff, more in disgust than in aggravation or anger. He shot one final look of loathing at Ranma before averting his eyes to the floor as he stood up.

"I'll be downstairs," he grumbled, making his way towards the door.

Kasumi had gone and collected a cold cloth as fast as she could, and was now applying it to her father's head as she continued trying to coax him back into consciousness. Genma cradling his damaged arm, quickly excused himself from the room as well so he could go clean up and dress his wound.

After Genma had made his departure, Kasumi took a break from her efforts to move carefully to Akane's side. Her younger sister took practically no notice of this, as she was too engrossed in stroking Ranma's red hair lovingly while she cooed soothing words to her fiancé. Kasumi watched with wonder at the obvious affection her little sister was displaying, and couldn't help the small smile that made its way across her face.

"Akane?" she finally whispered. After another moment's hesitation, Akane looked up from the sleeping form of her fiancée to meet Kasumi's own gentle stare.

"Yeah?"

"Does it ever…" Kasumi paused for a moment, considering how to word her question without sounding like every other person trying to pry into Akane and Ranma's relationship. Realizing there really was no way to do so, she decided the direct approach was the best, and to hell with the consequences.

"You enjoy doing this, don't you?" Kasumi asked with gentle, almost motherly, prodding. Her eyes shone with tenderness and just a hint of curiosity, as she waited patiently for Akane to give her an answer, hoping almost diligently that she'd get an honest one.

Akane was somewhat wary of Kasumi's eager interest in what she might feel for Ranma. After all the times her family had tried to push them together she couldn't really trust that the question didn't have some ulterior motive behind it. Still, she thought of the kiss she'd shared with Ranma in the dojo, how good it had felt, how _right,_and wanted nothing more at that moment than to confide in her sister.

The truth was that Akane _did_ enjoy it. The fact that no one else could control Ranma when he was in the Neko-ken was a source of great pride for her. That he would trust her that much simply amazed her. She grinned inwardly as she thought of how many times Shampoo and Kodatchi had tried to get Ranma's cat side to submit to them. Each time, the results had been the same: Lunch delivered to them at the hospital the very next day! At her own thoughts, Akane gave a little giggle unable to help herself.

Kasumi raised her eyebrows inquisitively at her sister's sudden display of mirth, and Akane quickly found herself being held captive by the innocent' way Kasumi was looking at her. It was as if her gaze seemed to scream 'please you HAVE to tell me because I'm your sweet older sister and you know you really want to anyway. A brief second passed as she processed this, and then Akane found herself giggling once again. There was no use resisting that look, and if she were being honest she didn't really want to.

"I… Dunno, Kasumi." She quickly shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I think… I think I do, actually."

Kasumi's face quickly melted into a full blown smile, a bit of color rising into her cheeks as she felt herself flush with happiness.

"You really _do_ like him!" she intoned quickly, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.

It was Akane's turn to blush, as she opened her mouth to reply. Before she had a chance to respond to or (in Kasumi's worried mind) begin protesting her comment, the older girl had quickly collected herself from the floor and disappeared from the room, pulling their father's unconscious form out the door by his arms, and leaving her little sister to contemplate her statement. Not a second later, the door had closed behind them, and Akane was left alone in the room with Ranma.

_What was that all about?_ She wondered, shaking her head slightly. She couldn't help but smile at her older sister's antics, as they didn't really seem to bother her like they would have before. In fact, after what had transpired between her and Ranma in the dojo, the thought of Kasumi trying to get her to realize her feelings for Ranma only made the younger Tendo sister giggle. It was nice to know she had the kind of family that cared so much, even if they were overbearing at times.

Pushing the thought aside for now Akane took a moment to survey the remains of the guest room. Things were, for all intents and purposes, completely destroyed. The slight breeze that the now shattered window was letting in was not unpleasant, but would certainly become increasingly colder as the night drew closer. She could only imagine the struggle it must have been to get Ranma under some sort of control. It was obvious that he'd been furious. She also took in the fact that he was soaking wet, a sure sign that they had tried to snap him out of it by inducing his curse, which clearly hadn't worked. She wondered why. She shook her head, whatever the reason she was just glad that she'd been able to help. With a contented sigh and a soft smile, Akane looked back down at Ranma, slowly running soft fingers through her hair once more.

_My Baka, _Akane thought, almost lovingly._I wonder what goes on in that head of yours when you're like this?_

A moment of silence passed in the still of the room, then with a twitch of her left ear, Ranma's voice suddenly and shockingly filled Akane's head in response.

_Think many things. Think of sunlight__ and trees, a__lso of hunting and playing._

It took Akane a few seconds to comprehend that what she was hearing were actually Ranma's current thoughts, and that it was his cat persona that was expressing them. But how was that possible? How could she and Ranma be holding a telepathic conversation?? Did it have something to do with the state Ranma had been in when he went into the Neko-ken? The same state that he was now in, in fact? Before she could question the reality of it any further, however, another thought from Ranma ripped through her mind, tearing her attention away.

_Think of Mate._

Akane didn't even have time to contemplate this statement before the jealous side of her took over full force, and her thoughts suddenly jumped to their own conclusions.

_Mate?! Who's your mate!!?? When did this happen?!_

The answer she received was fast and sure. The sheer honesty and sincerity behind it flooring her into immediate silence, effectively wiping any further anger and jealousy from her mind.

_The __short__-haired one;__ she__ has great strength and courage. __Feisty and spirited, s__he fights the strange stick-wielding__ man__ alongside us at times. Other side calls her 'Akane'. __Must protect mate… love her…_

Akane couldn't believe what she was hearing, her eyes doubled in size, and she just stared at the back of Ranma's head for a few minutes in stunned silence. Did he really think that way? Again, the incident in the Dojo came rushing back to her. Maybe Cologne had been right, after all. Maybe Ranma's feline persona actually considered her to be its mate. Even after the kiss they'd shared she'd held onto her own private doubts, not wanting to open herself up to hurt and disappointment, but now those doubts had all but been erased from existence. He had actually used the word _love_… With a sigh of confusion that, to her surprise, was easily mixed with relief and even sheer happiness, Akane slowly let her head fall until her chin was resting comfortably on Ranma's head. She wondered absently if he would even remember any of this, as she closed her eyes with a quiet moan.

"Now what…?"

* * *

Ryouga paced roughly about the dining room downstairs. To say that he was unhappy would be an understatement. To say that something was bothering him would be simplifying things too much. Ryouga's mind was in only one place right now, and that was back upstairs in the room he had just left Akane and Ranma in. 

What were they doing up there? It almost seemed as if Akane had _enjoyed_ taking care of Ranma. But that couldn't be! Could it? He quickly shoved this thought away, his contemplation ending when he heard Genma slowly move into the room, and head for the back yard. Only seconds before, Kasumi had come downstairs, saying that she had put Soun to bed for the time being. This of course meant only one thing to Ryouga, and he quickly stepped outside to confront Genma with it.

"You left her up there alone with that FREAK?!" he nearly hollered. Genma stared straight back into the lost boy's eyes, his own thinning into a tight scowl. The hand attached to his good arm shot out faster than Ryouga could counter. He was on the floor in an instant, with Genma quickly grabbing the lost boy by his collar and hefting him up, until Ryouga could feel the older man's heated breath on him.

"Who are _you_ to call _my son_ a freak?!" he quickly retorted, shaking the boy slightly in his outrage. Before Ryouga could gather his wits and give his anger filled reply, they were both interrupted by the sound of Kasumi's voice as she called out to them urgently.

"Ryouga-san! Mr. Saotome! Stop it, please!"

Genma held his position over Ryouga for another moment, growling low for good measure. Gradually, his hand loosened its hold, and Ryouga fell to the floor with a thud. He recovered quickly, rocketing into a standing position right in front of Kasumi. He gave her a sheepish grin, his face flushed with guilt as he began bowing repeatedly, saying only 'I'm sorry' to her over and over again at high speed.

"I forgive you," Kasumi reassured him. "But I'm sure Mr. Saotome doesn't enjoy hearing his son being called names like that, Ryouga-kun.'

Ryouga's bowing came to an abrupt halt, a single sweat drop running down his face as he considered this. He was certain that he had heard Genma call Ranma several names in the past, most of them pretty cruel considering they were coming from his own father. The fact that Ryouga had done so now should not have bothered him in the slightest, and yet…

And yet it had. It was baffling to Ryouga. The old man had never stuck up for his son before, so why now? What had changed? He shook his head in wonder as these thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a very angry Genma, almost as if he'd read the lost boy's mind.

"Actually, it's that _word_!" he spat almost harshly. "I don't appreciate Ranma being referred to as a_freak_. How would you like it if I called _you_ that, Ryouga!? Aren't _you_ a freak as well??"

At the accusation Ryouga forgot his earlier contemplation. He spun around to face Genma again, his fist raised angrily in front of him, his eyes blazing with defiance.

"At least I can keep from losing my mind!" The lost boy shot back. "Ranma falls to the Neko-ken every time he sees a cat! _I_ suffer from _no_such handicap!"

Genma's closed his eyes, his head sinking down slightly as he began to chuckle. At this Ryouga's gaze narrowed, his anger and frustration mounting, as he quickly stepped closer to Genma.

"What's so funny?" he demanded.

Genma shook his head once before looking back up at Ryouga.

"'Handicap', eh?" he chuckled some more. "Tell me, Ryouga; If the Neko-ken is such a detriment to Ranma, then why do you have three razor sharp slash marks across your cheek?"

On instinct, Ryouga's hand flew up to his face, probing the wound lightly. He'd forgotten all about it, but Genma was correct. The scratches were deep enough at some points that they went straight through all the layers of skin, leaving the tender flesh underneath exposed. For the first time since it had happened, Ryouga hissed as he felt the sting of the wound once more, his attention to it seeming to renew the pain.

"And if, as you say, the Neko-ken is such a handicap," Genma continued. "Then _why_ is it that _three_ of us failed to hold him down?"

Ryouga blinked dumbly at Genma. He could think of nothing to say. The fact that Ranma knew nothing of what he did while in the Neko-ken didn't necessarily make it a handicap. It was in fact a lethal weapon. He couldn't deny that. The fact that Ranma was holding it in _his_ stack of cards, also made Ryouga uneasy to say the least. _If he ever finds a way to take control of it… _he shuddered inwardly at the thought.

Genma observed Ryouga's silence and took it as an affirmation. Knowing he'd won this particular verbal war, he turned lithely around, heading towards the back yard once again.

Ryouga watched him go. He realized then that he'd simply been lashing out in his frustration. That the real reason for his anger stemmed not from Ranma's peculiar ability, but from the way Akane could so easily tame it. The way she even seemed 'happy' to do so, as if it were meant to be somehow, and if it did, then where did that leave him?

"Akane will be fine, Ryouga," Kasumi assured him, breaking though his thoughts. "She's the only one of us that doesn't _have_ to worry about Ranma attacking her when he's like this."

Ryouga let out a small frustrated growl. _That's what I'm afraid of. _ He raised his fist once more before turning on his heel, and walking further into the house.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it…" he muttered under his breath before disappearing from the room. Kasumi stared after him with obvious worry, as her mind went over the whole series of events and what the consequences of them might bring. When she had finished reviewing the facts, she breathed out a heavy sigh, having only one thing to say that could sum it all up as accurately as possible. And in true Kasumi fashion that one thing was…

"Oh my…"

* * *

And so it begins... 

MattSaotome


	2. Chapter 1

**Hmm... Got nothin to say really. This is furthering the storyline continued from the Fragile story arc. Read and lemme know what you think!**

**Matt Saotome**

* * *

Chapter 1

'_If I could, Then I would_

_I'll go wherever you will go_

_Way up high, or down low_

_I'll go wherever you will go'_

The dinner table was quiet, a definitely disconcerting feeling of growing anxiety emblazoned across the pulsing energies of everyone around him. It was so heavy that it made the pit of Ranma's stomach turn. He felt disgusted with himself again. He was glad that no one had been seriously hurt, but also felt oddly remorseful over the damage he had done to his father's arm. He continued to try and tell himself that it was "all his stupid Pops' fault for 'teaching' him the technique in the first place", but it wasn't working very well. He sighed inwardly, thankful that Ryouga had left; a fact that afforded him a little more peace and quiet than was his norm. His gaze moved around the table, settling for a few seconds on each person with inexpressiveness.

Kasumi was eating in her usual manner, with politeness and close personal regard to what was lady-like. Her eyes would occasionally flick in Ranma's direction, and while one could hardly ever see very many different emotions on Kasumi's face, Ranma could usually tell how she was feeling on the inside. Her Chi felt almost sour, and he caught her stopping every now and then for a few short seconds to regard her hands carefully, almost as if she was looking for something on them. He would have let himself have it if he had harmed the eldest sister in any fashion. He did not harm girls, and Kasumi was, by far, the sweetest one in existence.

Nabiki was completely impassive. Ranma felt almost no change in her whatsoever, and none of her behaviours had deviated in the slightest. Mind you, he hadn't expected them to really change, since Nabiki hadn't been home for his latest incident. Still, everyone around the table all had time since then to talk with each other, and Ranma knew that she'd been informed of what had transpired. He stewed on this for a moment, considering that, perhaps, Nabiki really was without a care. He quickly dismissed this idea, however, as her words from a week ago in her bedroom came back to him.

'_For my little sister! If you had come back without her just because you didn't feel you had the right to take a life to save her… I'd have put you in a coffin!!'_

No, Nabiki definitely had feelings. She was just a pro at keeping them under complete control. Of course, she did have an image to protect. It must have been something else to continuously personify yourself to everyone around you as someone almost entirely without feeling. He imagined that it must've been quite emotionally trying on Nabiki when she was alone. He moved over a place setting.

Soun was silent and collected, but Ranma could feel the sparks flying off the Tendo patriarch's body in his direction; almost as if Soun's Chi was pushing to keep Ranma's own at bay. The man's behaviour as of late had struck him as very odd, almost like he had decided overnight to keep himself in check somehow. Ranma shook his head just slightly as he tossed all of the times Soun had randomly burst into tears around in his mind, and finally gave up on trying to figure him out. He remembered Akane informing him that he had kicked the man into a wall, rendering him immediately unconscious. He still growled at himself for his lack of control. Akane had tried to tell him that there was nothing Ranma could have done. Everyone had told her when she got home that he had woken up already _in_ the Neko-ken. Ranma didn't care, though. If he'd only kept better control over his subconscious mind, he would never have even _had _that stupid dream! With a mental growl, he moved over a place setting.

His Pops sat with his eyes almost closed, scarfing down his meal as if it were his last. He would occasionally stop eating for just long enough to regard another serving dish on the table before quickly reaching for it with his chopsticks and taking another king-sized helping that would quickly touch his plate before it, too, met his maw of madness. Ranma shook his head openly, a scowl forming quickly on his expression. Stupid old man was too much of a gluten to even still –

Genma's eyes flashed over to Ranma for a second, and Ranma's mind skidded to a complete halt. They locked gazes for a moment, and Genma's assault on his meal briefly stopped. There, in the deepest corner of his eyes, Ranma could see it. He had been hunting for any trace of it from his old man for the last two years, and there it finally was.

Fear; embedded so deeply, one who wasn't trained to look for it would never have even picked up on it. His Pops was afraid of him... Well, it was about time! Maybe now the old fart would start to show him a little respect! Then Ranma thought about his plate, and looked down at it, subconsciously severing eye contact with Genma. It sat undisturbed before him. His chopsticks occasionally tossed the food around a little, but not a single piece of it was missing. It had already begun, and Ranma hadn't even noticed. A small smile formed on his face, and he let go an involuntary chuckle as he finally lifted a steamed pork bun to his mouth and took a small bite off it.

Akane looked over at him with curiosity alight in her eyes. He returned her gaze as he continued to munch almost happily on his pork bun. She smiled at him, and his insides began to dance again. What was she thinking, anyways? Her eyes looked so peaceful. He blushed as he remembered waking up in her lap again. Ever since then, she'd seemed... almost like she'd been walking on air. It was a feeling that Ranma was all too happy to return to as he just continued to look into her eyes. For some odd reason, he didn't seem to care who looked at them. As far as he was concerned, they could look all they wanted. No one had what he had sitting beside him. No one could ever completely understand.

He finished his pork bun, and then looked quickly around the rest of the table. Shrugging his shoulders mentally, he cleared his throat and spoke up.

"So I was thinkin' about going back to school on Monday."

Genma began to choke on his food, hacking and coughing as he started pounding on his chest in an attempt to get the morsel to finish its downward journey to his stomach. Soun's chopsticks snapped in his hand involuntarily. A smile formed on Nabiki's face slowly. Akane was staring at Ranma in silent wonder. Kasumi looked around the table, spouting another "Oh, My" at everyone's reaction to Ranma's revelation.

"Boy," Genma finally recovered, "Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"Yes, Listen to your father, son," Soun agreed. "It might not be time for that yet."

The happy look on Ranma's face quickly diminished, being replaced by one of almost stupid innocence. He rethought his position for a quick second, but still found nothing wrong with what he had decided. Why were Mr. Tendo and his Pops against him going back to school?

"Wuh?" Ranma blinked. "Well, why not?"

"Yeah, Dad," Nabiki chimed in. "He's been gone for such a long time. Profits just haven't been the same for me lately, you know."

"Hey!" Ranma scowled at Nabiki. "Who said anythin' about going back for your 'profits'?"

Nabiki just shrugged. "I'm only stating fact, Ranma. I bring in a significant amount of the money this household needs, and with you gone from school, my largest source of family income has diminished greatly."

"Nabiki," Kasumi breathed, disappointment lining her words. "You know we don't approve of you using Ranma in that manner. Must you bring it up?"

"Sorry," Nabiki wined into her teacup just before taking a sip of it.

"Ranma," Akane's voice quickly brought his head around to look at her. They sat like that for a moment in silence, just looking into each other's eyes. Ranma fast found himself getting lost in their depths once more, unable to tear his gaze away from their stark beauty.

"Bwuh?" he mumbled questioningly.

Akane looked deep into Ranma's eyes, trying to find the slightest hint of doubt about his own suggestion. She searched his expression for as long as she dared, finding nothing there that even resembled reservation. All she saw on him was candour and fervency for what he wanted. As difficult as it was to believe, Ranma actually _wanted_ to return to school. She found herself fighting to ask her next question, becoming absorbed in him near the point of drowning. He was so handsome when he was just himself. Not mad, nor sad; not smiling, nor snarling; just peaceful. The expression that he wore looked akin to innocence, and that was when she thought he looked the most honest. Other times, she would be unsure what he was really thinking. When Ranma was like this, however, she felt certain things about him that she wouldn't otherwise think of. Of course, their relationship was always the most exhilarating when Ranma was in action; but when she craved the peace and quiet, he could deliver that, as well... as long as he was given the chance.

"You make it sound like you _want_ to go back to school," she finally managed.

Ranma's face remained impassive for a second before a smile quickly appeared.

"Well, Yeah!" He said happily again. "I mean, at least going ta school I won't be sitting 'round here doing nothin all day!"

"But what about the Neko-ken, son?" Sound asked quickly.

"Father," Kasumi chided. "If Ranma wants to go back to school, I think that's his decision to make. I'm sure he's considered it very carefully. Isn't that right, Ranma?"

"Uh, sure." Ranma nodded once.

"But _about_ that," Kasumi continued. "Do you think you'll be having more dreams like the one you had last night, Ranma? That will make you wake up like that again?"

At that question, Ranma looked back down at his plate again, his hands falling to the floor in front of his legs as he considered it. There was a damned good possibility that he _would _have more dreams like that. While the idea wasn't exactly thrilling to him, it was probably true, nonetheless. Cologne had told him that he was blending with his cat side now, and whether or not Ranma wanted to believe it, that part of himself was coming closer and closer to the surface. He didn't think he'd have to worry at school, since a cat wasn't something that was allowed in the classroom. He also highly doubted that the idiot Kuno would try anything like he did way back when Ranma started school ever again. It just meant that Ranma would have to keep from falling asleep in class. Wouldn't that be easy? He sighed heavily, and gathered himself up to answer Kasumi.

"Probably," he mumbled.

"What are you suggesting, Kasumi?" Akane asked her older sister, looking at her with a little bit of hope in her expression. If anyone was clear headed enough to come up with something that was actually _useful_, it could only be Kasumi.

"Well," Kasumi let her eyes slide to the side, considering the best way to break her suggestion to Ranma. She knew, from experience in similar matters, that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. Still, the problem needed a working solution. While what she had in mind was far from the final answer, she was more than certain it would help him get through the obvious rough patch he was now in. "We do have the old baby monitors in the storage closet."

Akane's face fell a little. _Then again..._

"WHAT?!" Ranma was bewildered, leaning up suddenly in response to Kasumi's suggestion. "You _can't_ be _serious_!!"

Genma snapped out of his previous concern, and quickly rounded on the eldest Tendo daughter.

"Have you lost your mind?" Genma addressed Kasumi with a sincerely flabbergasted facade, honestly unable to comprehend how she could even conceive such a thought. "My son is not a whimpering little child that needs to be observed at all hours! A baby monitor is a simply ludicrous idea, and can only make the boy feel more insecure than he may already!"

Akane's expression darkened as she turned her gaze to meet Genma's own. She scowled at him, recalling his notoriety for using another's suffering to avoid something that would be personally wounding or otherwise denigrating to himself. Before she could say anything that could have potentially been exactly that to Genma, however, Nabiki quickly brought her voice to bear upon the older man.

"Oh please," she retorted, reaching for the water jug in front of her and continuing as she poured herself a glass. "You're much too thick to come up with something like that and _mean_ it. You just don't want to be heard as well, considering you two still share a room and all."

Ranma scowled deep in his father's direction, now thoroughly disgusted with him.

"Pops..." he growled low, and Genma was quickly shrinking under his gaze; attempting to stammer some remark for personal protection that he couldn't quite seem to get out. "You're an idiot."

"Gotta make you wonder, though," Nabiki smirked, more than willing to bask in the glow of her own self-satisfaction. "What is it exactly that you don't want us to hear, Mr. Saotome?"

"You know what?" Akane moaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Dealing with her family today just seemed to be giving her a migraine, and she found herself thanking whatever Kami was responsible for the lack of her father's usual antics surrounding herself and Ranma. The other side of that, however, meant she held absolutely no interest in knowing what Genma did when no one else was listening. She was quite sure, whatever the man did in the privacy of his own room, it was nothing she would be even remotely interested in. "How about 'I don't wanna know'?"

"Here, here," Ranma seconded, actually raising a hand as if he was in class. It was quickly brought back to his side, however, in a clenched fist as he scowled again. "And I ain't gettin' no stupid baby monitor, either!"

"But son," Soun looked at him with consternation. "What happens if you have another incident like today's in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know!" Ranma was getting rather annoyed, frustration eating at him that the only solution that anyone could seem to come up with was something that painted him as nothing more than an infant who needed to be checked in on. "But you ain't sticking a friggin' baby monitor in _my room_!"

Nabiki raised her eyebrows. "_Your_ room, Saotome?"

"Yeah," Ranma retorted, putting his face inches from Nabiki's as he leaned over the table in an effort to look intimidating, chucking a thumb back at himself as he replied evenly. "_My_ room!"

"You haven't paid a single yen of rent for it since you two started freeloading off us two years ago, Ranma. So enlighten me as to what makes it _yours_?"

"I thought you said I was 'family'? Or did ya change your mind?!"

"Hardly, Saotome. I _do_ charge family as I would anyone else, you know."

"How 'bout all those pictures ya take of me and sell ta that pervert, Kuno?! Or the information ya sell about my whereabouts ta whoever happens ta ask?!"

"A girl's gotta make a little extra cash."

"You got a _lot o' nerve_ for someone who sold out her own _sister's_ wedding!! Or should I just 'put that on yer tab'?!"

"How Dare You!"

"ENOUGH!!" Akane's voice rang through the room.

Everything instantly went silent. There was no more shuffling of newspaper, nor light clattering of chopsticks on plates. In fact, no one dared to move a muscle as Akane quickly stood, her fists shaking slightly as she held them clenched at waist height.

"If this is gonna be such a big problem for you, Nabiki, then _I'll_ claim that room! No more rent issues on Ranma's part. Happy?!"

Without waiting for a response, Akane turned on her heel and left the room, Nabiki's unaffected gaze holding the spot her younger sister had been standing at without trepidation. There were several things that Akane had not voiced in that statement, but Nabiki was sure she had picked up all the signals. She also figured that, if Kasumi was as smart as she thought, she'd be off after Akane within seconds to talk to her about what she had in mind. Nabiki knew that if Akane claimed a space in the house, she usually made it inimitably hers. As such, having claimed Ranma's room, Nabiki fully expected her to be moving into it before the day was done, leaving uncle Saotome her old room. Ranma's father would get to keep his precious privacy, Ranma himself would be absolved from paying rent, and there would be no need for a baby monitor, as Kasumi had suggested. As Nabiki mused over these particulars, she found herself marvelling her younger sister's resourcefulness. Not to mention thanking her for the slew of photo opportunities this was sure to provide.

"Oh my," Kasumi sighed, worry almost dripping from her voice as she rose from the table to follow Akane. She had, as Nabiki thought she would, reached the same conclusions, and was more than a little concerned with how this would affect her younger sister. Not to mention what it was bound to do to an already nervous (thanks to their witless fathers) Ranma's tenuous resolve. With these thoughts in mind, she was quickly ascending the staircase to the top floor and Akane's room.

Nabiki smirked to herself, picking her chopsticks up once more.

"Well, I guess _that's_ settled," she shrugged indifferently as she turned back to her meal.

"What the hell just happened?" Ranma finally asked the empty space beside him that used to harbour one Akane Tendo. He didn't understand the silent exchange that had just passed between the three sisters, choosing instead to listen to the small voice in his head warning him that prudence was the better part of gallantry, and asking would definitely not be within the limits of that particular code.

"I do believe your girlfriend just saved your neck, Saotome," Nabiki quipped, taking a rather large gulp of her water to wet her throat once more.

Ranma scowled deep, not missing the 'girlfriend' remark. "Bite me, Nabs."

Soun and Genma, however, were having an entirely different reaction to what had just occurred. In the minds of those two particular adults, Akane's unspoken tenacity was like a call from the heavens announcing her steadfast devotion to Ranma. Of course, how could it mean any differently? The fact that Akane was suggesting it herself, let alone consenting to it, was all the proof they needed.

"Did you hear that, Saotome?!"

"Marvellous; Eh, Tendo?"

"I couldn't agree more! Soon the houses will be joined!!"

The two adults hooked arms and began dancing around the room like a pair of drunken hobbits, singing something about Sake and wedding celebrations as they twirled about the dining area. Ranma groaned heavily as he allowed his left cheek to fall into his palm, his elbow hitting the table with an audible 'thunk'.

"Brainless Twits..." he mumbled, eyes half shut. He found it hard to believe that he had ever entertained thoughts of Mr. Tendo acting in a greater manner of normalcy than was his standard. Looking at the two dancing idiots now, one would never have guessed that the thinner man had stared down Cologne not long before. "Don't even know what the heck they're talkin' about."

"I do _not_ know them," Nabiki stated, trying her best to ignore the spectacle enough to stomach the rest of her meal.

* * *

"Akane?" Kasumi knocked lightly on the door in front of her. While there were no sobs coming from the other side of the door to fuel her worry, there were the very obvious sounds of hangers being taken off their racks and clothing flying about the room, not to mention the consistent growl that would occasionally float through the mahogany; a sure sign that Nabiki had done more than just twist a couple of Akane's nerve endings. "It's Kasumi. May I come in?"

The commotion through the door stopped for a moment before a reply finally drifted Kasumi's way.

"As long as you don't try to dissuade me..."

Kasumi nodded as if Akane could see her, wrapping her hand around the door knob and turning it. As she swung the door open, she saw that Akane already had her closet emptied onto her bed, two suitcases opened and ready to be filled. She gasped wordlessly, realizing that Akane had full intentions of carrying out her plan of action. She had to marvel at her younger sister's strength of will, but was uncertain at heart whether or not Akane herself understood if she was truly prepared to accept the consequences that her decision was so likely to entail. It was this tentativeness that caused Kasumi to take a step forward, extending her arm towards her sister a little ways.

"Akane, are you sure about what you're doing?"

Akane came to a halt halfway between her dresser and her bed. Damn! No, she wasn't sure. There were so many reasons that she wasn't sure. She sensed that Kasumi knew this as her sister stepped the rest of the way into the room to stand beside her.

"Akane," she spoke softly. "I understand that you want to help Ranma, but are you ready for this?"

Akane only looked at the floor, unable to meet her sister's gaze. She wasn't just afraid that Kasumi might be right. In fact, deep down, she was afraid that Kasumi would see the look in her eyes; one that told of unbridled concern and care... and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who she was wearing that expression for.

"You... don't understand," Akane whispered. She couldn't help herself, and a tear quickly made its way down her cheek. Her thoughts were so depressing, even to her, that she couldn't understand how the focus of them had survived for so long under such circumstances as her mind was now reviewing. "He's... fought so hard... and he never gets a break... no one _ever_ gives him a break... me most of all..."

Kasumi's heart melted in her chest, as all the love she had for her family seemed to pour out in Akane's direction with her words. Kasumi had never stopped to think that the bond between Ranma and Akane had already gotten so strong. Indeed, the evidence of it had been practically written on the walls for all to see over the last week. That Akane cared for Ranma so much, even if she wasn't yet able to admit it out loud... to _him_...

"You love Ranma very much, don't you?" Kasumi stated more than asked, as she took Akane in her arms. At the same moment, Akane herself seemed to go rigid, almost as if she was fighting her usual remarks in that regard. Instead, she wound up remaining silent, unable to voice an answer to her older sister's question. How Kasumi could always get inside her head so easily... it almost frustrated Akane to no end that there were probably very few things she could keep from her oldest sister. Yet, at the same time, it gave her a strange feeling of comfortable trust. Almost without her accord, memories began to twirl about in her mind.

She remembered Ranma first arriving on their doorstep. He had looked so worried back then, and she never would have thought that it was because of some stupid curse; a curse that she really could give a lesser damn about now.

She remembered Ranma fighting for the position of Romeo in their school play. He had said over and over again that it was all for the chance to go to china, but then why hadn't he carried on the play without her when she called it quits? And his face, later that same evening... hovering just inches above her own... his gentle, yet nervous breathing blanketing out over her left cheek... she closed her eyes against Kasumi's shoulder as she remembered Ranma bringing himself down to her. For some reason, in her memory, there was no tape... truth be told, its existence had done little to remove the electric feelings that had shot through her when he placed his lips on hers.

She remembered the skating match between themselves and the golden pair. Sanzenin was such a chauvinist at heart. She had stood just behind Ranma when Mikado had told him that he intended to kiss her before that night had ended. Almost without fail, Ranma's voice echoed through her head.

'_Akane is _my_ fiancée. You touch her, and I'll _kill_ you!'_

Warmth flooded through her veins, and she realized that it had been that exact moment... right when those words came rushing past his lips... without so much as a second's hesitation... She had turned stunned eyes on him that night, burning into the back of his head as if she was trying so hard to see right through to his thoughts. She had been certain of it from that night forward. Before, she had dismissed the odd feelings that would creep up in her as being confusion and anger towards Ranma. From that night forward, the true denial had begun. In that instant after Ranma spoke his vow, Akane _knew_ she had fallen in love with him. Everything else after that was just to save face.

Almost involuntarily, she finally nodded slowly against Kasumi's shoulder, realizing for the first time that she had shed a second tear. Kasumi's smile deepened, the admiration in her eyes growing as she looked down at her little sister's form leaned up against her; her head buried in Kasumi's shoulder. Kasumi brought an arm up and wrapped it around Akane, rubbing her back in a soothing motion as she whispered to her.

"It's OK, Akane. It's good that you can finally admit it to someone. It only shows how deeply you really do care for him. If this is what you really want to do..."

Akane slowly lifted her face from Kasumi's shoulder with an expression almost of shock. She hadn't expected Kasumi to allow this in the end. In fact, she had been more than certain that her oldest sister would vehemently protest against it until Akane herself relented. But now she gazed into Kasumi's eyes, marvelling at the pride she found radiating from them.

"Then who am I to stand in your way?"

"K... Kasumi...?" Akane's voice was a whispered rush, her tears quickly coming to an end as her surprise took over everything.

Kasumi was sure of it now. No matter what she might do to try and keep them apart until they were ready, it was quickly becoming apparent that her sister had done quite a bit of growing up. While she still might not condone Akane's course of action until they had already been married, she realized two things at once. First, she may have been jumping the gun a little in assuming that anything like... _that_ was going to happen between the two just yet. Second, even if it did, she was now more certain than ever that there had never been and would never _be_ another couple quite like her little sister and Ranma.

"My little sister," Kasumi cooed with pride brushing some strands of Akane's hair aside. "All grown up..."

Akane flushed heavily at the praise Kasumi had just given her, quickly hiding her face back in her sister's shoulder. The river of memories continued to fall upon her, giving her reason after reason to help Ranma now that _he_ needed _her_ for a change.

She remembered back to the first Christmas that Ranma and his father spent with her family. Ranma avoided her for hours just to go out and shop for the very things she had wished for in front of the store window earlier in the same day. He even remembered each thing she had mentioned, showering her with gifts the moment he saw her next.

She remembered shaking Ranma's still body under the shadow of a construction site. As he woke up, a band aid fell to the ground. He called her cute, and as she leaned into his arms to cry, he held her. The world could have just stopped right at that moment in time, and she would have remained quite content.

When Taro kidnapped her, Ranma hastened to her aid. When Ranma couldn't allow Gosenkugi to take pictures of her, and she twisted her ankle as a result of Ranma's interference, he came to her at the hospital with a 12 foot long banner that had 'I'm sorry' written all over it.

Then there were the love mushrooms. She sighed as she thought about them. She never did tell Ranma, but she remembered everything that happened during their mountain trek to the mushroom antidote. Even as she continued to cry for reasons that she couldn't quite understand, against Kasumi's shoulder, she silently wondered… Did Ranma remember as well?

There were so many other instances that came to her mind that Ranma had saved her, helped her, or proven how he cared for her even if he didn't mean to. Their second Christmas together, he refused to let her take back the scarf she'd made and swung it on. The picture he had given her in its beautiful glass frame still sat on her dresser. She remembered how he put his arm around her on the balcony that night as they watched the shooting stars fall.

Also the countless reasons stemming from the incident with Shinnosuke and the Orocci; the stupid body switching vengeance doll...

And then Saffron.

She shivered as she remembered Saffron. She remembered the sound of Ranma's voice asking her to hold on just a little bit longer. How he held her so tight when she was returned to normal. How he cried with all his heart when he believed that she was dead. How he told her he loved her as his tears fell over her body.

"He's done so much for _me_," Akane whispered finally, a third tear streaming down her face. "It's time I return the favour."

Kasumi just chuckled lightly. "I think you already have, Akane... In more ways than you may understand. I'm very proud of you today."

Outside Akane's bedroom door, a small old letch scowled deep before disappearing down the hallway.

* * *

**Next up, Ranma tackles the weekend sharing a room with Akane. How will he take to this new development, but more importantly, what does a certain Grand Master think of all of this?**

**Drop me a review, guys! It's one of the things that keeps me motivated! You know you wanna... just more that mouse over a bit and click the button that says 'Go'!**

**Matt Saotome**


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